Is This Love?
by Rosajean
Summary: Kate's wondering if she's in love. Just a short KIBBS piece.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own anything having to do with NCIS...I'm just taking the characters out for a joyride. Anyways, this is just a one-shot, from Kate's POV, but if I find myself inspired, I might do a Gibbs' POV chapter.

It wasn't what I'd expected. And after 30+ years of waiting for it to happen, you'd best believe I had some expectations. Sure, I've been 'in like' before, and I've most definitely been 'in lust' before, but this would be the first time I've ever been 'in love'...if that's what this is, and I'm not entirely convinced that it is what this is.

Isn't it supposed to be different? How did I end up falling in love with a gruff, cranky bastard who's addicted to coffee and boat-building? What happened to my prince charming? Did he get lost along the way? Maybe I scared him off with my sig sauer and my right hook...

But this definitely isn't what I imagined love to be... so maybe I'm not really in love. It's possible, right? After all, in all the Disney movies, romance novels, and romantic comedies I've come across in my lifetime, never once has it been like this. Sometimes I just want to burn his boat. Or shoot him. Or take that goddamn cup of coffee out of his hand and throw it across the room. The way he gets under my skin - it's so infuriating! And then a moment later he gives me a look that just makes all of that go away and I just want to jump him right in the middle of the bullpen. This can't be love, can it?

I'm not a traditional woman. So maybe this is the non-traditional prince charming that a non-traditional woman gets. I mean, I don't want some guy to swoop in and rescue me from a dragon (or well, whatever that dragon would metaphorically relate to in real life), but I do want a guy who can watch my six. And I do want a guy who can wrap me in his arms and make everything else fall away, make me forget about whatever's worrying me. But I've never even had the opportunity to test out whether the silver haired fox's arms can do that for me, so I can't be in love, right? Right.

At least this way, I can still pretend. If I'm not 'in love', then it doesn't matter if he doesn't notice me, doesn't want me, doesn't feel for me what I feel for him.

But Tony just caught me googling the definition for love. Yep, that's right. I googled the definition for love.

And I think that I'm in trouble...


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, so I've finally gotten around to doing Gibbs POV. :)**

To put it straight, I've always had a thing for fiery women. Granted, they've mostly been redheads, but somewhere along the way this kickass brunette caught my eye…or rather, caught my heart.

But don't tell her I said that because when I say 'kickass' I mean she most definitely will 'kick my ass' when she finds out how I feel and think about her. That is, unless she's feeling the same way… Okay, scratch that thought. She's too smart to go for someone like me. …Right?

Anyways, I'm definitely in trouble. I mean, I've been here before – it's the kind of trouble that's left me with 3 alimonies to pay and nothing better to do at night than build a boat. I may be nearly two decades her senior, but all of a sudden I feel like I'm back in high school trying to work up the courage to ask the cute redheaded girl in our class to prom.

It was supposed to be just a little infatuation – nothing I couldn't work out of my system with a little bit of flirting and casual touching when I brush past her or hand her a folder. This is wrong, isn't it? I'm not supposed to want to pull her into my arms and hold her tight against me, or kiss her until we're both dizzy from the lack of oxygen. She'd probably headslap me if she knew the thoughts that are going through my head just now. Luckily, she's too busy fending Tony off from looking over her shoulder at whatever she's searching for on her computer.

There are rules - NCIS rules and my own rules. And I'd break every one of them if it means I could take her out to dinner. No, definitely not what I'm supposed to feel towards a subordinate. I'm fairly certain that loving your co-worker falls under the fraternization policy at NCIS. So let's not call it 'love'. That word equates to way too many complications that I don't need in my life right now anyways. How about we just call it a 'slight obsession/infatuation that leaves my heart pounding, my lungs breathless, and my mind a little (lot!) distracted every time she's near enough for me to smell her rose scented hand lotion'? Okay, I'm pretty sure that description still falls under the no-no list of the fraternization policy. I need a distraction…

"Dinozzo! Whaddaya think you're doing?"

"Uh, nothing boss. Just, uh, watching Kate google the definition for love." I hear him stutter.

And when I look at Kate, sure enough she's turning bright red.


End file.
